Ohtani has recently agreed to an unprecedented 10-year agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers, valued at $700 million — marking it as the most lucrative contract in the annals of professional sports. This deal surpasses Mike Trout’s $426.5 million extension, which held the title of the richest MLB contract for four years.
As per a report from Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, the Blue Jays’ proposal to Ohtani was akin to the eventual offer made by the Dodgers:
“The Blue Jays’ top bid was within the same financial bracket as the Dodgers’, as per sources familiar with the negotiations. One source indicated that the Blue Jays’ offering was highly competitive and they were in close contention. The precise final sum is unknown, but being in the same range as a $700 million offer strongly indicates that the ultimate bid from the Blue Jays considerably exceeded $600 million. On reaching out via text messages over the weekend, Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins and a representative from CAA — which represents Ohtani — both declined to comment.”
The most substantial contract in the history of the Blue Jays was awarded to outfielder George Springer, who finalized a six-year deal worth $150 million in January 2021.
For Toronto, missing out on Ohtani is undeniably disheartening. Nevertheless, the willingness of the ownership to extend an offer to Ohtani well above half a billion dollars should be heartening for fans, as it showcases their readiness to invest in constructing a winning team in the long run.
There is also a silver lining for Toronto in that there are still numerous impactful free agent hitters available, including former NL MVP Cody Bellinger, standout third baseman Matt Chapman, seasoned slugger J.D. Martinez, and former Blue Jays Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Teoscar Hernández.
